How Smartphones Affect Treadmill Running

Music good, texting not so much.

We don't blame you for bringing your phone with you when it's time to run on a treadmill. We might, however, draw the line on on-the-run texting.

In a fun study led by a Kent State researcher, people did 30-minute bouts on a treadmill on four days under different conditions: while listening to music stored on their phone; while talking throughout the workout on their phone; while texting throughout the workout; and (gasp!) without their phones. During all the workouts the treadmills' pace and distance data were hidden from the exercisers.

When asked which of the four workouts they liked the most, the people said the one when they listened to music. They liked the talking bout second best, and the no-phone option the least.

The music workout was also the one when they sustained the highest average speed. (Remember, they couldn't see how fast they were going, but they were free to alter their speed as they wished.) The slowest workout was when they texted, with the talking workout almost as slow.

The research will be presented later this month at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.